CORRELATION BETWEEN PHOTOLUMINESCENCE AND INFRARED-ABSORPTION SPECTRAOF OXIDIZED NANOSCALE SILICON CLUSTERS

We report in situ photoluminescence and ex situ Fourier transform infr ared spectra of nanoscale silicon clusters exposed to atomic hydrogen, molecular oxygen, and humidified argon. Comparisons between infrared absorption spectra of fresh and aged samples indicate that photolumine scence efficiency is correlated with a stoichiometric oxide shell and the presence of Si dangling bond passivants at the core/oxide interfac e. Photoluminescence quenching is demonstrated in efficiently luminesc ing samples upon exposure to atomic hydrogen with recovery of photolum inescence occurring upon subsequent exposure to air. The photoluminesc ence quenching and recovery is correlated with a partial quenching and recovery of absorption due to interfacial silane groups. The correlat ions between photoluminescence and infrared absorption spectra, togeth er with the hydrogen quenching results, provide evidence that radiativ e recombination in these samples is associated with interfacial oxide- related defects. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics.